Consumers and Sustainable Fashion: A Systematic Literature Review

Fashion is among the most polluting industries, with consumption rising by 400% over the past two decades, largely driven by fast fashion (EEA 2019; Niinimäki et al. 2020). In response, sustainable fashion—also termed slow, ethical, or eco-friendly fashion—has emerged as a viable alternative, addressing all three TBL sustainability dimensions (Dao and Joyner Martinez 2024; Fletcher 2010). It promotes a shift from overproduction and overconsumption to circular solutions, including the use of sustainable garments, green production processes, second-hand markets or rental business models (Todeschini et al. 2017). Despite increasing public awareness, scholars report a persistent attitude-behaviour gap (Gupta, Gwozdz, and Gentry 2019; Ritch 2015). Given the proliferation of recent research on consumers and sustainable fashion, a systematic and up-to-date synthesis of recent literature is needed. Thus, we conducted a systematic literature review of consumer perspectives on sustainable fashion, focusing on peer-reviewed articles published between 2022 and 2024. This period was selected due to significant policy shifts, notably the European Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles (EC 2022), with the idea of expanding the research to cover the years from 2020 onwards. The study aims to deepen the attitude-behaviour gap and identify key determinants of consumer perceptions and behaviours on sustainable fashion. We systematically searched Scopus and WoS for peer-reviewed journal articles and conference papers published in English from 2022 to 2024 in Business, Management, Economics, Finance and Accounting. Using a comprehensive query combining terms such as "sustainable fashion", "green apparel", "ethical clothing", "consumer perceptions" and "customer attitudes", we initially retrieved 254 studies. After screening and removing duplicates, 97 papers were selected for thematic content analysis. Findings indicate 30 articles were published in 2022 and 35 in 2023, with most studies conducted in Asia (41 papers). Quantitative approaches dominate (70 studies), with the TPB and TRA used as main theoretical frameworks (36 papers). Preliminary results support interest in sustainable fashion is growing, although individual and systemic barriers hinder adoption. Consumers frequently perceive sustainable garments as less stylish and lowerquality than conventional fashion, reducing their appeal (Gupta, Gwozdz, and Gentry 2019). Higher costs remain a major obstacle, as many consumers are unwilling to pay a premium and have an unrealistic idea of fair price (Ronda 2023). Additionally, limited knowledge (Zhang, Wang and Meng 2023) and scepticism towards sustainability claims persist due to greenwashing scandals (Hageman et al. 2023). However, the second-hand market is expanding, with younger generations increasingly drawn for affordability and uniqueness (Koay, Cheah and Lom 2022; Tangri and Yu 2023). Also, green values and social influences play a role in steering consumers towards sustainable fashion (Kautish and Khare 2022). Also, it emerges transparent marketing and effective communication strategies are determinant to foster consumers’ sustainable purchases (Boyer, Jiang and Liu 2024; Dwivedi et al. 2020). This review highlights the need for systemic collaboration among stakeholders to bridge the attitude-behaviour gap and accelerate the transition towards sustainable fashion. By synthesising recent research, it aims to provide valuable insights for academics and practitioners seeking to advance sustainability strategies in the fashion industry.